Abstract:
A method of and an apparatus for machining interfitting members to improve their fit wherein the members are positioned to place their surfaces to be interfitted in a complementary relationship with a small gap spacing therebetween. A fluid delivery assembly includes a manifold supplied with a pressurized EDM liquid medium from a source thereof and a plurality of nozzles having each a respective valve and commonly projecting from the manifold. The nozzles have their respective nozzle outlets arranged in an array so as to be disposed individually adjacent to and distributed uniformly in the array along a continuous opening or slit formed as a continuous, narrow and elongate outlet opening of the gap spacing between the members where the surfaces to be interfitted terminate. A control unit sequentially opens the valves in a predetermined order, determined according to a particular surface characteristic of the surfaces which impedes a desired interfit therebetween, to allow the pressurized liquid medium in the manifold to be delivered sequentially to flush therewith particular areas in the gap spacing from the corresponding nozzle outlets. An EDM system having an EDM power supply and a servo system for relatively advancing the members effects electrical discharges successively in the particular areas mentioned, to sequentially remove the surface characteristic until the surfaces establish the desired interfit.
Abstract:
A new method is disclosed for the electroerosion machining of a workpiece by employing as a machining fluid, raw water which has been deionized until its resistivity increases to at least 10.sup.5 ohm-cm and then decreasing the resistivity of the raw water deionized previously by adding thereto a conductivity modifier substantially free from chloride ions, said conductivity modifier being added to said deionized water in an amount sufficient to impart to the resulting machining fluid a predetermined conductivity.
Abstract:
An electrical machining method and apparatus in which a gaseous effluent containing noxious or unacceptable gaseous components is evolved from the electrical machining gap and is collected in a space immediately above the gap flooding electrical machining liquid and confined from direct escape into the atmosphere. This space or chamber is arranged to communicate with the atmosphere via an elongated fluid conduit for drawing the collected gases into the atmosphere. A laser generator irradiates the flowing gases with a laser beam to decompose the noxious components into their constituent elements. Mirrors for the laser beam may be vibrated to laterally oscillate the laser beam, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the laser irradiation and the resulting gas detoxification.
Abstract:
An abrading tool for any grinding, lapping, polishing or burnishing purpose (e.g. dental applications) has a rotary holder whose shank can be rotated (e.g. in a chuck connected to a motor) and a plurality of angularly equispaced elongate pieces projecting axially from the holder. The pieces carry abrasive over at least part of their lengths and collectively form a forwardly converging body of revolution about the axis (in a rest position) and the generatrices of this body serve to impact against and abrade the surface to be treated upon rotation of the tool.
Abstract:
A method of and apparatus for dispensing wire from a massive storage spool make use of a rotary support for holding the storage spool and in bearing contact therewith. The rotary support comprises a pair of rollers, one of which is rotationally driven by a motor to turn the spool whereby to permit the wire to be unwound therefrom. The unwound wire is subject to a traction force applied by a capstan and pinch roller driven to advance the wire between outlet guide rollers into a utilization zone, e.g. the cutting zone in a wire-cut EDM machine. A sensor is provided to detect a deviation of the tension of the wire between the outlet guides and the storage spool from a predetermined value. The output of the sensor is applied to a servo control circuit for the motor rotating the rotary support and the wire storage spool so as to maintain the tension of the wire constant. The storage spool rotary support, capstan and the outlet guides are carried on a wheeled carrier and are also enclosed within an electrical shield to prevent emission of electrical noise produced therein.
Abstract:
A flow meter is provided using a fluid responsive solid member which is introduced into a flow chamber defined in a vertically standing tubular housing and which, with the flowing fluid supplied through an inlet at the lower end of the housing and discharged through an outlet at the upper end of the housing, is propelled to a level as a function of the volume rate of flow of the fluid within the chamber. The solid member is composed at least in part of an electromagnetically susceptible material and an electrically conductive winding is disposed in an electromagnetically inductive relationship with that member to present a reactance which varies as a function of the position of the member in the flow chamber.
Abstract:
An improved EDM method and apparatus in which a hydrocarbon liquid such as kerosene is decomposed, outside of an EDM gap, to produce therefrom gases containing gaseous hydrocarbons, which gases are injected into the machining gap immersed in a deionized water liquid coolant. The liquid hydrocarbon is so decomposed, e.g. thermally, as to yield these gases which contain 30 to 85% hydrogen and the balance essentially the gaseous hydrocarbons. The thermal decomposition uses heating the liquid hydrocarbon at a temperature not in excess of 300.degree. C. The liquid hydrocarbon decomposition gases may be entrained in a stream of a deionized water for delivery into the EDM gap whose region is immersed in a continuous volume of the deionized water. The decomposition of the liquid hydrocarbon may be carried out in a separate thermal decomposition system connected to the machining gap via a continuous conduit communicating a source of the liquid hydrocarbon with the machining gap.
Abstract:
A novel EDM method is disclosed in which a gas such as compressed air is dissolved in a water liquid to form a solution which is pumped into the machining gap formed between a tool electrode and a workpiece. An EDM power supply provides a succession of electrical discharges across the gap through the supplied solution to electroerosively remove stock from the workpiece with the decomposition of oxygen and hydrogen gases from the water liquid. The dissolved gas in the solution is liberated in the machining gap upon exposure to the electrical discharges to add to these gases, thereby increasing the electroerosive stock removal. The gas is dissolved into the water in an amount of at least 20% by volume of the oxygen and hydrogen gases normally decomposed from the water liquid by the electrical discharges. An apparatus for executing the method includes a pressure chamber traversed by the pumped flow of the water liquid and having a gas supply inlet through which the compressed gas is introduced for solubilization in the water liquid. The region of the machining gap is preferably enclosed in a second pressure chamber maintained under a superatmospheric pressure to limit the spontaneous liberation of the dissolved gas from the water liquid.
Abstract:
Apparatus for supplying a working fluid and a wire electrode to a wire region of a wire-cut electrical discharge machine comprising a housing supported by a support member and having opposed aligned openings through which a wire electrode is passed into operation association with a workpiece at the work region to be operated on by the electrode. A working fluid is supplied under pressure into the housing and the working fluid passes through a nozzle supported in the housing against the workpiece. The nozzle is positioned in the housing to surround the wire electrode which travels therethrough and it projects from the housing to discharge the working fluid against the workpiece at a gap formed therewith. A guide die is supported in the housing to guide the wire electrode through the housing and the nozzle. Electrical energy is supplied to the wire electrode before it enters the housing and a second nozzle is supported by the housing to discharge working fluid against the electrical supply system to cool the same.
Abstract:
A traveling-wire electroerosive machining method and apparatus in which a pressure created by and accompanying electrical machining discharges and tending to deflect the traveling electrode wire away from a straight line path defined between a pair of wire-guide members is compensated for by the machining fluid controlled both as to its direction and pressure. The apparatus shown includes a first sensor for sensing an angularity of the prescribed cutting path advanced by the traveling electrode wire to produce a first signal and a second sensor for sensing the electroerosive machining current passing between the electrode wire and the workpiece to produce a second signal. A control system is designed to maintain, in response to the first signal, the direction of supply of the machining fluid towards a region of the cutting gap immediately behind the advancing electrode wire, thereby laterally forcing the electrode wire against the said pressure tending to deflect while controlling the pressure of supply of the machining fluid in response to the second signal so as to counterbalance the pressure tending to deflect with the controlled fluid supply pressure, whereby to bring the electrode wire substantially into alignment with the aforesaid straight line path.